GTT, GOGEC preparing youths to benefit from oil and gas sector

GTT, through its partnership with the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), continues to prepare young Guyanese to maximise the benefits of the local oil and gas industry by providing career guidance to Grade 11 pupils, who will soon conclude their secondary education.
The two companies jointly engaged over 70 Grade 11 students across all seven secondary schools in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region Two community in an oil and gas awareness workshop last Friday. The session was held in the auditorium of the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School.

Senior Public Relations Manager of GTT, Jasmin Harris, who represented GTT at the event, said the initiative to provide an understanding of the oil and gas industry and create awareness about the skills necessary within the sector is part of the company’s promise to strengthen the community.
“We promised to strengthen the community, and we continue to do so. We’re preparing the next generation of young professionals for fulfilling careers in the oil and gas industry. We believe that preparing our youth in this way is a significant thrust towards their development and the development of the country,” Harris is quoted as saying in a release from GTT.
Joel Bhagwandin, a director at GOGEC, who also travelled to Region Two to engage with the pupils, has said the initiative is, importantly, aimed at the development and retention of skilled professionals.
“There is a study that suggests that we need 160,000 workers to supplement our labour force, and these skills can come from right here in Guyana, once we invest in our youth over the next 5-10 years to develop that capacity…what we are doing is bringing the awareness and understanding to our youth about where the country is going and how they can not only contribute, but also significantly benefit by serving their country and participating in the accelerated prosperity of Guyana”.
He added that Guyanese youths would often have high hopes of migrating to further their education and in search of employment, but it is important to note that many opportunities now abound locally.
“In the past, the country would have suffered from a lot of brain drain and many of our young people would have put their skills and talents towards the development of other countries. It is important to let them know that those opportunities and more are available right here in Guyana. The local content legislation maximises the benefits of the sector for Guyanese, and we have to create an interest among youth regarding the skills needed, so that we can begin to develop those skills and retain them,” Bhagwandin has said.
During several presentations, the students were given a comprehensive understanding of the roles and functions of several positions required in the sector, an overview of the process from exploration to extraction and storage, insights into the financial impact of the sector on the country’s development, and the need for many support services.
Bhagwandin told the students that the oil and gas sector comes with an entire ecosystem that requires over 200 support activities, including accommodation, logistics, catering, project management and entertainment etcetera.
The schools that benefited from the initiative were Aurora Secondary, Johanna Cecilia Secondary, Charity Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary, Anna Regina Secondary, Wakapao Secondary and the 8th of May Secondary. The pupils were all given certificates for their participation.